Oppn rejects Pervez’s proposalsIslamabad, August 18
Pakistan’s mainstream political parties and lawyers have denounced the constitutional amendments proposed by President Pervez Musharraf and vowed to defeat them.

Pervez may shed some powersIslamabad, August 18
Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf might agree to curb some of the sweeping powers he planned to assume when he addresses the nation this week.

MOSCOW DIARY
Putin lauds woman’s anti-racial actionOn June 21 this year, President Putin awarded the Order of Courage to Tatyana Sapunova (28). On July 25, Putin personally received her in the Kremlin and in the presence of television cameras and journalists admired her courageous act and thanked her for setting an example to be followed by others.

Pearl slain after escape bidKarachi, August 18
Wall Street Journal correspondent Daniel Pearl was
slain by an Arab after he tried to escape from kidnappers who had got
hold of him eight days earlier, police investigators said today.

Iraq, UN feud on arms inspectionBaghdad, August 18
Iraq today urged the United Nations to take up the latest offer of talks about a possible return of weapons inspectors, but the world body’s arms chief demanded the right to inspect on his terms.

UK looks for non-Asian chefsLondon, August 18
Britain’s curry houses are in crisis. After a decade of growth, restaurants are struggling to recruit Asian workers as they shun the trade for alternative careers.
Now, in a move aimed at reversing a nationwide staff shortage, the body that represents restaurant owners will launch a recruitment drive aimed at non-Asian chefs.

UK club pays for banning SikhsLondon, August 18
Two Sikhs living in the UK have received a landmark payout after a Birmingham nightclub banned them because of their turbans.
The payout received by Mr Harjinder Singh Lal and Mr Jasvinder Marwaha has sent tremors through Birmingham’s club-land, where Sikhs regularly get turned away at the door.

Russia, Iraq to sign $ 40 bn dealMoscow, August 18
Russia confirmed today it was set to sign a $ 40 billion economic and trade cooperation agreement with Iraq, a move that could complicate Washington’s plans to deal with Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein.

Afghan women during rehearsal for Monday's
Independence Day celebrations inside the main stadium in Kabul
on Sunday. After three wars with the British, Afghanistan won its independence in 1919.
— Reuters

Hi-tech courtroom for ‘Kanishka’ trialToronto, August 18
Canada has built a US $ 4.5-million hi-tech courtroom for the trial of three men charged with the 1985 bombing of Air India’s ‘Kanishka’ jetliner that killed 329 persons, a report said today.

Bollywood
actress Madhuri Dixit and her husband Dr Nene (left) with FIA
president
Albert Jasani and comedian Johny Liver (right)at a function to celebrate India's55th Independence Day in New Jersey on Saturday. — PTI

A floral display along with a picture of missing ten-year-old schoolgirls Jessica Chapman (R in picture) and Holly Wells is placed outside
the St Andrews church in Soham, Cambridgeshire,
on Sunday. Two unidentified bodies were discovered in the area on Saturday, close to the village of Soham where the girls went missing on August 4.
— Reuters

Islamabad, August 18
Pakistan’s mainstream political parties and lawyers have denounced the constitutional amendments proposed by President Pervez Musharraf and vowed to defeat them.

At a meeting organised by the Pakistan Bar Council in Lahore yesterday, most of the political parties, barring a few like the Pakistan Millat Party headed by
former president Farroq Leghari and the Pakistan Muslim League (Qaid-e-Azam), backed a resolution calling for the scrapping of the proposed amendments.

Amending the constitution is the “sole and exclusive function of Parliament and no other individual or institution has any authority to change it,” the resolution said.

Media reports here said that in view of the strong reservations expressed by parties and the media for the past few weeks, General Musharraf has decided to either withdraw or modify some of the proposals and would announce a new package early next week.

Addressed by leaders of all top political parties contesting the October general election, the meeting also rejected the April 30 referendum that extended General Musharraf’s term in office for five years, terming it as a “complete farce” and saying that it conferred no legitimacy to the General.

The resolution demanded the lifting of all curbs on political activities and holding the poll under an independent election commission to make it “free, fair and impartial”.

Condemning the alleged “pre-poll rigging being done through changes in the election laws and rules, frequent transfers and postings of government officials and by use of intelligence agencies,” the meeting said international observers should be allowed to monitor the poll.

The meeting also demanded the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Irshad Hassan Khan to ensure the impartiality and credibility of the October poll.

Mr Khan, who recently retired as the Supreme Court Chief Justice, got embroiled into a controversy after he endorsed the results of the April referendum.

Amid allegations of serious irregularities and poor voter turnout, the commission okayed the results saying that General Musharraf received “yes” vote of over 97 per cent.

The political parties also suggested constitution of ‘monitoring teams’ at the district levels to check rigging, while demanding the withdrawal of the election orders and ordinances which, they alleged, amounted to virtually amending the constitution.

The resolution
adopted at the meeting was supported by representatives of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), Pakistan Musilm League (Nawaz), Jamaat-i-Islami, former cricketer Imran Khan’s Tehrik-i-Insaaf, Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) and Awami National Party, among others, the reports said.
PTI

Islamabad, August 18
Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf might agree to curb some of the sweeping powers he planned to assume when he addresses the nation this week.

Following widespread criticism from political parties and the media, there are indications that the President might announce changes in the constitution while cutting back some of his discretionary powers.

Since he seized control in October 1999, General Musharraf has been slowly arming himself with powers that critics say make him increasingly authoritarian and not as democratic as he claims to be.

The hackles of political parties were raised in the run up to the October elections when the President indicated he would arm himself with powers to organise the National Security Council (NSC) and sack the National Assembly.

But, government officials say, he may be having second thoughts.

“The President will announce the withdrawal of some proposals in the light of meetings with political leaders and a feedback from other sections of society,” a senior government official told IANS.

The composition and role of the proposed NSC are being finalised, besides the President’s authority to dissolve the Assembly or sack the Prime Minister and his cabinet.

Analysts believe the President will agree not to dissolve the Assembly, opting instead to sack the Prime Minister and his cabinet if the need arose.

Similarly it is also expected that the President may review the proposed amendment related to the appointment of the Prime Minister, Chief Ministers and other public office-holders.

However, the appointment of the service chiefs is expected to be the prerogative of the President who is the supreme commander of the armed forces in
Pakistan. IANS

On June 21 this year, President Putin awarded the Order of Courage to Tatyana Sapunova (28). On July 25, Putin personally received her in the Kremlin and in the presence of television cameras and journalists admired her courageous act and thanked her for setting an example to be followed by others.

Who is this courageous woman and what did she do to receive such a high honour, fame and admiration from President Putin?

On May 27, Tatyana Sapunova, an office manager, was driving her minibus, about 32 km south-west of Moscow, when she saw a placard on the roadside with an anti-Semitic slogan “Death to jids (Jews)” inscribed on it in big letters. She stopped her vehicle to remove this anti-racial sign. As she tugged at the sign, it exploded and injured her face seriously. Interfax reported that the blast had a force of 100 gm to 200 gm of TNT.

Tatyana, who is a Russian but not a Jew, was hospitalised and it was feared that she would lose her one eye completely. But Russian doctors and later Israeli medical experts did their utmost to save her eyesight and treat the injuries on her face which she suffered when shrapnel from the booby-trapped sign had hit her. She was sent to Israel for treatment by Jewish groups in Moscow at their own expense. Tatyana has not fully recovered; her left eye is still blurry, but doctors are hopeful that she will regain her vision fully soon.

President Putin’s public demonstration of his admiration of Tatyana’s courage, consciousness of her civil duty and anti-racial mindset was aimed at an open criticism of fascist and racist groups indulging in such anti-national activities. In a speech at the time of his meeting with Tatyana, he emphasised the fact that Russia is a multi-national and multi-ethnic country and such anti-racial and anti-ethnic groups are doing great harm to national interests.

Tatyana, a modest woman who has become a heroine of our days for many democratic, liberal and sound minded Russians, by her gesture and suffering has prompted the Duma, (the Lower House of Parliament) to pass an anti-extremism Bill quickly which gives the police and courts much wider powers to act against such groups that preach racial hatred and incite violence. President Putin is expected to sign the Bill soon. Some political parties, especially the Communists, have expressed fears that it can be used as an instrument of political suppression. Such fears may not be baseless and, therefore, steps must be taken to guarantee its proper implementation. At the same time, one can’t deny the fact that such an anti-extremist law was long overdue, because the racial, religious and ethnic extremism has been continuously on the rise in Russia in the last few years.

However, as pointed out by many analysts, it is not sufficient to have an anti-extremism law only. The causes and forces behind such nefarious tendencies should also be explored and analysed and measures taken to remove them. It is rightly emphasised that a campaign to create social awareness in the masses about the dangers and disastrous consequences of such extremist activities can help considerably to fight this evil. It must also be kept in mind that extremism is at the root of international terrorism which the world is trying to fight collectively.

* * *

Taj Mahal for elephants: The Russian zoo-park has six elephants — three African and three Indian. But since 1995, they are not accessible to viewers owing to non-availability of open cages which can be safe for the public. But it is also a pity that animals like elephants are kept away from visitors. Therefore, the zoo authorities have decided recently to build big and beautiful open air cages for them in the architectural style of Taj Mahal with two large tanks. The initial plan of complete replica of Taj Mahal had to be changed to some extent, because it was found too costly for the zoo-park budget. But the basic contours of the Taj Mahal will be kept intact. For the Indians visiting the Moscow zoo-park after the completion of this project, it will be a very pleasant and heart warming view. The project is likely to be completed in two years.

* * *

Leo Tolstoy inspires demographers also: World-famous author of such immortal novels as “War and Peace”, “Anna Karenina”, and “Resurrection”, Leo Tolstoy, whom Gandhiji recognised as his “guru” is now not only a source of great interest for literature-lovers, but for Russian demographers too. This fact was highlighted recently, when out of about 250 descendants of Tolstoy, living in various parts of the world, 90 gathered at his estate Yasnaya Polyana, about 200 km south of Moscow, to celebrate the 140th anniversary of Tolstoy’s marriage and 150 anniversary of the publication of his first story “Childhood”. Russian demographers, worried about the quickly decreasing population at the rate of several lakhs yearly, presented Tolstoy to be an ideal example to be followed by the young Russian generation. Tolstoy had 13 children. Obviously, no young couple can afford to have so many children in present-day Russia, but the continuously decreasing size of the modern Russian families and the total population of the country is a matter of real concern for the nation as a whole. Hence, the demographers are justified in emphasising Tolstoy’s love for children.

Karachi, August 18
Wall Street Journal correspondent Daniel Pearl was
slain by an Arab after he tried to escape from kidnappers who had got
hold of him eight days earlier, police investigators said today.

Two
investigators said the information was gleaned from three men who led
the police in May to a dismembered body that was identified by DNA
tests as Pearl.

Pearl, 38, was kidnapped on January 23 in Karachi
while researching links between Pakistani Islamic extremists and
Richard C. Reid, who was arrested in December on a flight from Paris
to Miami with explosives in his shoe.

One of them, British-born
Islamic militant Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh, was sentenced to death by
hanging. The others received life sentences.

According to the two
police officers, the kidnapping began on the night of January 23, when
Saeed telephoned his accomplices and ordered them to pick up Pearl in
front of the Village Restaurant.

Pearl was put in one car, which was
followed by a second carrying three other kidnappers. The two vehicles
followed Bukhari, who led the convoy on motor cycle to the shack where
Pearl was to be held.

The police said on the sixth day, Pearl tried
to escape as he was being led to the toilet. However, he was caught by
Karim and Chishti, who beat him up and shot him in the leg.

The
struggle made so much noise that students at a nearby Islamic school
ran out onto the roof to see what was happening, the police said.

A
day after the escape attempt, Bukhari told other kidnappers that they
were to kill Pearl, although the officers said it was unclear who gave
the order.

The kidnappers waited a day while they deliberated
issuing a ransom demand, the officers said. On the ninth day after the
kidnapping, three Arabs, whom the suspects believed to have been
Yemenis, were brought to the hideout, the police said.

The two
officers said the Arabs were said to have been associates of Ramzi
Yousef Ramzi, the imprisoned mastermind of the 1993 World Trade Center
bombing.

The police said the kidnappers began asking Pearl a series
of questions about his religion and his background as one of the Arabs
filmed it with a video camera.

Suddenly, Karim seized Pearl’s
hands and one of the Arabs slit his throat, the officers said. The
actual murder was supposed to have been recorded but “the cameraman
lost his nerve,’’ one of the policemen said.

The videotape was
later sent to the US Consulate in Karachi, confirming Pearl was dead.
AP

Baghdad, August 18
Iraq today urged the United Nations to take up the latest offer of talks about a possible return of weapons inspectors, but the world body’s arms chief demanded the right to inspect on his terms.

Hans Blix, the head of the UN Monitoring, Verification and Control Commission (UNMOVIC), told the BBC he needed “unfettered access” to Iraq which strongly denies US charges that it is developing weapons of mass destruction.

But the ruling Baath Party newspaper said talks on the issue was the only way forward. “Iraq, which has a rational policy, has always called for dialogue so that the United Nations can recover its role and save present and future generations from the horrors of war,” Ath-Thawra said.

Baghdad on Friday renewed a proposal to continue discussions with the United Nations about the return of arms inspectors, who fled Iraq in December, 1998, on the eve of US-British air strikes.

Mr Blix, who has been invited to Baghdad himself for talks, as have members of the US Congress, explained the difficulties. “We are very eager to start inspections,” he said. “However, you have to read the small print of any invitation.

“It seems this was by no means a decision by the Iraqis to invite inspectors, but rather to suggest discussions on what issues were open in 1998. We have not been directed by the UN Security Council to do that.

“They want talks first, and in light of the talks maybe decide whether they will invite inspectors,” he said.

Blix seemed to suggest that US threats to oust Saddam by force did not help his cause.
AFP

London, August 18
Britain’s curry houses are in crisis. After a decade of growth, restaurants are struggling to recruit Asian workers as they shun the trade for alternative careers.

Now, in a move aimed at reversing a nationwide staff shortage, the body that represents restaurant owners will launch a recruitment drive aimed at non-Asian chefs.

Instead of learning about French or Italian cooking, Indian restaurant owners want to teach young chefs the difference between a ‘dosa’ and a ‘paratha’ . They want to cash in on the growing popularity of Bollywood films to cast off the unwanted image of Indian cooking as late-night fast food with lager. Unless hundreds of chefs are recruited, the industry will go into decline.

The Guild of Bangladeshi Restaurateurs, which represents 2,000 restaurants specialising in South Asian food, has said the industry desperately needs chefs from all racial backgrounds in order to meet a labour shortfall.

The organisation has also asked David Blunkett, Home Secretary, to allow Indian restaurants to recruit more staff from abroad and extend the work permits of some workers from three to five years.
The Guardian, London

Moscow, August 18
Russia confirmed today it was set to sign a $ 40 billion economic and trade cooperation agreement with Iraq, a move that could complicate Washington’s plans to deal with Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein.

Buklemeshev said the five-year deal to set up cooperation in areas ranging from oil to electric energy and railroads would not violate U.N. sanctions imposed on Iraq after its 1990 invasion of Kuwait. “It is in line with current international agreements,” he said.
Reuters

Toronto, August 18
Canada has built a US $ 4.5-million hi-tech courtroom for the trial of three men charged with the 1985 bombing of Air India’s ‘Kanishka’ jetliner that killed 329 persons, a report said today.

The trial of Inderjit Singh Reyat, 49, Ripudaman Singh Malik, 53, and Ajaib Singh Bagri, 51, facing charges in the case of the mid-air bombing of the Vancouver-New Delhi Air India flight 182 on June 23, 1985, will begin in British Columbia in March, 2003.

The ‘Courtroom 20’ is equipped with 25 LCD-screen computers connected to two km of data cable, allowing jurors to see specially prepared evidence, ‘The Globe and Mail’ daily reported here.

The room is sealed with bullet-proof windows from the 149-seat public gallery.
PTI

PAKISTAN BRIEFS

A Pakistani soldier holds machine gun as he mans a post on mountains near Teera on the Pakistan-Afghanistan border on Saturday.
— Reuters

‘MORE’ AL-QAIDA MEN IN
PAKISTAN
BAGRAM AIR BASE: The American General leading campaign against Al-Qaida fighters in Afghanistan has said there may now be more of the extremists operating in Pakistan than in the original theatre of war. Lt-Gen Dan McNeill, commander of the coalition forces, conceded that his task was now more complicated as the coalition did not have the right to conduct combat missions in Pakistan. The General suggested fewer than 1,000 Al-Qaida men were now in Afghanistan. AFP

5 SOMALIS HELD FOR AL-QAIDA LINKS
PESHAWAR: Special Pakistani police forces on Sunday said that five Somali nationals with possible links to the Al-Qaida had been arrested. The men were detained during a raid of their house about 2 a.m. at University Town, a new section of
Peshawar. The detainees, all of whose visas had expired, were in the custody of investigators.
AP

PAK TRADE TEAM TO VISIT AFGHANISTAN
ISLAMABAD: A 20-member Pakistani business delegation will leave for Afghanistan on August 25 to boost exports and explore opportunities in its reconstruction, an official report said on Sunday.
AFP